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Today, the malcontents who work in my school took a step I should have easily anticipated: they voted to begin using a reading series, Journeys, beginning in September 2017 in P – 6. I’ve worked at this school for 20 years, and have seen many bright hopes come and go in reading, in writing (oh,…Read more →

Whoever thought to limit February to only 28 days was a great humanitarian. Better were it 10. Two years ago, my brother died. February 21, 2015: the most dismal date in my life. Two days before that, the water main under our front yard froze. Our pipes burst. This year, people near and dear to me have moved far…Read more →

Yep, it was a good song by Leo Kottke (which you can see performed here) but it’s generally true in human affairs. By now, it feels like Trump has been Occupant of the White House for months, but it’s only been weeks. The lies he and his representatives have spewed before the public have been…Read more →

Today is a sad day. Donald Trump is taking over the office of President tomorrow, and Barack Obama will no longer be my President. I’m proud to have voted for Obama twice; I’m prouder to be able to say that I strongly disagreed with him on many occasions, but I never lost ultimate faith in…Read more →

Earlier this year (2016) journalists and pundits were falling all over themselves declaring the Republican Party to be “broken.” Now, after the disastrous and terrifying results of the election, the same voices are now describing the Democratic Party with the same word. Broken. They have good reasons underlying their conclusions, but they are quite off target. It…Read more →

The hypocrisy of religion can no better be illustrated than in the support given to Donald Trump by religious zealots across America. Never has there been a more vulgar person to run for the office of President; never before has there been such a mean-spirited trickster at the summit of world power. You’d think maybe…Read more →

Sometimes it seems as if there is a universal radio station, some worldwide broadcast working in polyglot fashion to influence the minds of the world’s population. (Well, the part of the population that has written language and is generally aware of other parts of the planet, that is.) Lately, this Zeitgeist has been harsh, bullying,…Read more →

Donald J. Trump has won more electoral votes than Hillary Clinton and so shall occupy the White House on January 20, 2017. I never thought my country was capable of doing this to itself. Not after having elected Obama. Twice. Apparently, the big issue was the economy. Trade deals, declining Main Streets, underemployment. A majority of voters think Donald J….Read more →

Mike Derrick (D), Elise Stefanik (R), Matt Funiciello (G) All three say they want to “bring back jobs to the North Country.” What a load of nonsense. It’s not nonsense that we need more employment opportunities in northern New York, but it is nonsense to say we’re getting them back. It’s akin to saying, “Make America Great Again.” When was…Read more →